1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hats, caps, and other headgear, and more specifically to means providing for the storage of relatively flat and unobtrusive articles on and within a hat. The articles stored may comprise interchangeable flat embroidered patches, emblems, or the like, such as for sports team logos, and/or a thin, flat, multiple compartment wallet for the storage of various articles such as a credit card, car key, folding money, etc. within the hat.
2. Description of the Related Art
The decorative embellishment of a hat, cap, or other headgear has been a popular endeavor since the earliest of times. More recently, with the development of the so-called "baseball" cap, with its relatively close fitting crown and extended partial brim or bill, it has become popular to place a sports team emblem or logo, or some other design or display, at the front of the cap immediately above the bill, or in some other location on the cap.
Such hats and caps make excellent souvenirs for sports fans attending a game, auto race, or other activity, or may be purchased to show membership in or allegiance to a specific club or association or the like. Indeed, it has become difficult to find such a hat or cap for casual wear, which does not include some form of design, indicia, or logo thereon.
Most such hats and caps have such patches and similar articles permanently attached to the hat in some way or another (e.g., stitched in place, etc.). However, in many instances it may be desirable for the owner or wearer of the hat to remove the particular display article on the hat. Changes in team or brand allegiance, relocations to different areas having different local sports teams, as well as other reasons and circumstances, can result in a desire to change the emblem or display on a hat or cap.
Many times, the owner of a given hat or cap has become quite attached to the particular headgear article, due to a particularly comfortable fit, style, durability of the material, or for whatever reason. Yet, due to the permanently installed emblem or display on the hat, it has become less than suitable for wear under certain circumstances. Accordingly, various hats have been developed in the past which provide for the removability and temporary installation of such patches, emblems and the like. The present inventor has developed one such hat in the past, with the invention being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,733, incorporated herein by reference, issued to the present inventor on Nov. 1, 1994 and discussed further below.
Such earlier hats with removable patches or the like, still do not respond to all of the needs in such headgear. For example, some persons may have a favorite hat which has no means for the temporary, removable attachment of one or more display articles thereon, but which they wish to keep and provide for such removable attachment, rather than purchasing another hat which already has such a feature. Another problem with such hats with removable attachments, is that generally no means is provided for the storage of unused patches, emblems and the like within the interior of the hat, when such unused emblems are not being displayed on the outer surface of the hat. Such is the case with the present inventor's earlier hat of the '733 U.S. Patent noted further above, in that storage for unused patches was provided for on a separate display board, rather than within the hat itself.
Another desirable feature of such a hat, would be the storage of other articles within the hat for safekeeping during times when no other suitable storage means was being worn by the wearer of the hat, such as while wearing shorts and a t-shirt, or other apparel without sufficient pockets for the storage of at least some limited amount of valuables. Others have developed such hats in the past, but as in the case of earlier hats with temporarily attachable and removable patches and the like, such hats require the purchase of the specific hat which includes such a feature or features. The person desiring such a feature or features in an existing favorite or special hat, is left out in such circumstances.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a provision for article storage within a hat, for the temporary and removable storage of patches, emblems, and the like which may also be interchangeably displayed on the outer surface of the hat as desired. A need also exists for the provision of a kit, which will allow a person to modify an existing hat to provide for the removable storage of emblems and similar articles therein, and further to provide for the interchangeable display of at least one emblem or the like on the exterior of the hat. Finally, a further need exists for the provision of means for removably storing a wallet or the like within the interior of a hat, and for a kit for modifying an existing hat to provide for such removable storage.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 441,805 issued on Dec. 2, 1890 to Alfred J. Parker, titled "Receptacle Or Holder In Hats," describes an insert for removably installing in a hat, for holding various relatively bulky articles therein. The Parker insert is not permanently attached to the hat, as is the article storage attachment of the present invention. Moreover, the principle used to secure an article using the Parker attachment is completely different than that used in the present invention, as Parker relies upon a resilient spring or band to secure articles between the jaws of a clasp within the crown of the hat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,935 issued on Jun. 5, 1984 to Edward W. Henschel, titled "Head Covering Equipped With Double Pocket," describes a baseball style cap having a double pocket permanently stitched in place on one external surface thereof. The device is obtrusive, as it is disposed upon the outer surface of the cap, where it attracts attention to the storage of valuables or other articles therein. As the device is permanently installed upon the cap, it cannot be removed for safekeeping when the hat is removed and stored elsewhere. Moreover, one must purchase the hat and pocket combination together, as the two components are permanently secured together; one cannot purchase only the pocket portion of the Henschel head covering, for installation upon another favorite hat. In contrast, the present invention provides for the removable placement of a wallet or other article within the interior of a hat, as well as for the display of emblems or other related devices on the exterior of the hat and storage of unused emblems within the hat. The present invention also provides a kit for the modification of an existing hat, in order that the existing hat may provide the desired functions of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,703 issued on Aug. 10, 1993 to Gordon P. Galka, titled "Headwear With Identification Pocket," describes a baseball style cap having a pocket disposed beneath the bill of the cap. The pocket is permanently attached to the underside of the bill, unlike the removably securable wallet of the present invention, which secures within the crown portion of the hat where it is completely concealed. Also, Galka does not provide any means for removably securing an emblem or other display article to the exterior of his hat, nor any means for storing such display articles within the hat when they are not on display, as does the present invention. Moreover, Galka does not provide any means of modifying an existing hat after manufacture to accommodate his invention, whereas the present invention provides for such modification of an existing hat if so desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,733 issued on Nov. 1, 1994 to Garry A. Brannon et al., titled "Patch Attachments For Hats," describes a baseball style cap having one component of hook and loop fastening material (e.g., Velcro.TM.,) secured to one or more places on the exterior thereof. The hook and loop material provides for the interchangeable attachment of various patches or the like to the hat, with the patches each including a portion of hook and loop material adapted for securing to that installed to the exterior of the cap. The Brannon et al. '733 U.S. Patent does not disclose any means of storing unused patches within the cap, by securing them to mating hook and loop material secured to the inner surface of the cap, as provided by the present invention. Rather, the Brannon et al. '733 U.S. Patent only provides for storage of the patches on a separate display board, which is not a part of the present invention. Moreover, the Brannon et al. '733 U.S. Patent does not provide any means of securing a wallet within the hat, nor any means of modifying a previously manufactured, existing hat to have the emblem, patch, or wallet display and storage capability as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,713 issued on Nov. 29, 1994 to Timothy P. McCallum, titled "Convertible Hat And Bag Assembly," describes various embodiments of a billed cap having a bag or container adjustably attached thereto. The bag may be stored within the hat when the hat is deployed, or the hat (including the bill) may be stored within the deployed bag or container. However, McCallum does not provide any means for displaying any articles on the exterior surface of the hat, nor for storing any articles on the interior surface of the hat. The hat and bag of the McCallum patent are a specially formed and constructed assembly, and cannot be modified by a kit provided in the field for removably displaying and storing various articles on or within the hat, as is provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,929 issued on Jul. 30, 1996 to Rommy H. Revson, titled "Cap With Sealable Compartment," describes a cap having an exterior compartment secured permanently thereto. No means is disclosed by Revson for removably attaching and displaying any articles on the exterior of the cap, nor for removably storing such articles within the cap. Moreover, Revson does not provide for the removable attachment of his compartment either to the exterior or to the interior of the hat. Also, Revson requires that his hat and its attached storage compartment be purchased together as a single commodity, rather than providing any means of modifying an existing hat for the removable attachment of a storage compartment or other article thereto, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,668 issued on Sept. 16, 1997 to Chad N. Ronquillo, titled "Cap With Front Size Adjustment And Rear Flap," describes a cap having a generally hemispherical crown wit a drape depending from the rearward band or periphery of the cap The cap may also include a chin strap. Ronquillo does not disclose any means of removably securing any emblem, patch, or other article to the exterior or interior of his cap, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, Ronquillo does not disclose any form of storage compartment, wallet or the like, which may be removably attached to the interior of his cap, nor any means of modifying an existing hat or cap to provide such storage features, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,678 issued on Mar. 10, 1998 to Timothy P. McCallum et al., titled "Hat With Storage Pocket," describes several embodiments of hats having either permanently installed or removable storage pockets disposed therein. In the case of the removable pocket embodiment, the hat is specially constructed to have an inner layer of release material (i.e., hook and loop fastener material) disposed over a large portion of the interior of the hat crown, or at least "provided as a tape or strip sewn along the hat seams." (Column 4, lines 51-52.) While the present that may include removable components therein, the attachment means does not require installation at the time the hat is constructed, as in the case of the McCallum inner liner or tapes or strips, which are sewn into the hat at the time of manufacture. Rather, the attachment means for various articles on or in the present hat, may be added after the manufacture of the hat or to an existing hat, and do not require a specially constructed hat. Moreover, the removable pocket embodiment of the McCallum hat has only a single compartment therein, whereas the wallet of the present invention contains multiple compartments for the storage of a plurality of different articles therein, such as folding money, a credit card(s), driver's license or other identification, and/or a key(s) etc., as desired. McCallum is silent regarding the removable installation or display of other articles on the exterior of his cap, or regarding storage of such display articles within his cap or hat, both of which features are provided in the present invention.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. D-333,375 issued on Feb. 23, 1993 to David Ouellette, titled "Combined Cap And Back Pocket," illustrates a design for a baseball style cap having a generally rectangular open pocket disposed upon the upper rear exterior surface thereof. No means is apparent for displaying any articles upon the exterior surface of the Ouellette cap, nor for storing such articles upon the interior surface of the cap. Moreover, no means is apparent for removing the pocket from the Ouellette cap, whereas the wallet associated with at least one embodiment of the present cap invention, is removably installable to the interior surface of the present cap.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.